


Efforts In Vain

by Nicxan



Category: Ghost (Sweden Band)
Genre: Gen, It's Cirrus, It's Mountain, Like One Sex Joke, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-22
Updated: 2020-05-22
Packaged: 2021-03-03 04:02:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 871
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24328471
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nicxan/pseuds/Nicxan
Summary: Mountain and Cirrus are stuck doing the ever-so-fun job of putting up Samhain banners.Cirrus wished that he'd talk to make the time go by.
Comments: 10
Kudos: 19
Collections: Banned Banned Together Bingo 2020, Banned Together Bingo 2020





	Efforts In Vain

**Author's Note:**

> [Banned Together Bingo](https://bannedtogetherbingo2020.tumblr.com/) again!  
> This one was a bit tricky -- the prompt for this one was "Jesus Christ", aka using his name as a swear. Mountain and Cirrus are two Tol Ghouls who don't get enough appreciation so here we are.
> 
> Ao3 REALLY needs to improve their tags for the ghouls, this is maddening to me.
> 
> Thanks to captainkelso on Tumblr for giving this a quick look before I put it up!

There was nothing Cirrus hated more than decorating the ministry. Not because she hated decorating -- no, she loved it. It was just that she and Mountain were  _ always _ the ones to decorate the areas that were higher up. Being tall would do that, she supposed, but it didn’t mean she had to like it.    
  
The banners were always the worst and that was what she was told to do today. It being Samhain, there were a lot of banners to put up. They all varied in shape and size and she wanted to rip all of them to pieces.    
  
If she had her way, Samhain would have no banners, just skulls and bones littered around the whole ministry. Maybe some blood too.  _ Those _ would be decorations worthy of Halloween, not this crap. Cirrus grumbled to herself as she balanced herself on the ladder.    
  
The work was monotonous. It’d be a bit easier if Mountain _ talked _ with her while they worked, but that ghoul was always so quiet. He just focused on his work, only pausing to stretch or glance over to make sure Cirrus hadn’t died. She hadn’t, and she wouldn’t, so that second part was kind of pointless.    
  
Cirrus squinted and took another step up the ladder. If she wasn’t careful, the Samhain banners would be unbalanced and Imperator would have a fit. No one wanted to deal with that. That woman’s obsession with perfection ...    
  
“I think I got it. Mountain? Does it look good to you?” She looked over at her fellow ghoul. As usual, he didn’t say much. All he did was check the banner and give a thumbs up.  _ ‘Better than nothing.’  _ Cirrus turned back to the banner and nailed it into the wall.    
  
With that, she’d be able to finally stand on solid ground for the first time in what felt like forever. Cirrus hurried down and let out a sigh of relief when her feet hit the tiles beneath them. She looked up, ready to admire the handiwork ...    
  
Only to see that the banner was backwards.    
  
“Jesus fucking Christ!” Cirrus spat. How had she not noticed that!? Was she so focused on keeping it even that she missed the most obvious thing in the world? She’d rip the damn thing to shreds, she’d --    
  
“Jesus never fucked and you know it.”    
  
Cirrus stared over at Mountain blankly. Her grip on the leftover nails faltered, but they didn’t fall to the ground.    
  
The first thing he had said today was that. And she burst out laughing.    
  
Mountain didn’t even react to her cackling; all he did was grab another banner string and start climbing up his ladder.    
  
“Didn’t realize you had such a potty mouth!” she quipped with a snicker. Cirrus’ tail flicked in irritation as she went back up to undo the banner. “I don’t think I’ve heard you swear since you slammed your tail in a door. Even then you just said damn!”   
  
When Mountain didn’t immediately reply, Cirrus nearly pouted.   
  
“Come on, Mountain. Just say shit. One time.”   
  
“No.”    
  
“Why not?”    
  
“You’re expecting it.” The tip of Mountain’s tail quivered, a clear sign of amusement. He didn’t even look in Cirrus’ direction while hanging up the other side of the banner. “Not as fun that way.”   
  
“What, so you can say Jesus Christ doesn’t fuck, but you won’t say shit? Hell, at least say fuck. That’d count.” Cirrus tittered gleefully. Even if she wasn’t getting her way, at least this banter was making her task much less boring.   
  
“Not anymore, it wouldn’t.”    
  
“Damn, you got me. And here I thought the temptation to say his name in vain would be overwhelming!”    
  
Mountain raised an eyebrow at this. “That’s not how that works and you know it.”   
  
“Many other people don’t,” Cirrus responded. The chipperness in her tone almost sounded alien to her. “So you can get away with it if you want.”   
  
On and on it went. The longer their talk went, the faster Cirrus found herself completing the assignment given to her. There was a spring in her step now. Cumulus would probably tease her about it later, but she didn’t care too much. Mountain talked. She was going to brag about that to everyone later.    
  
“Can’t wait to tell everyone about what you said. The looks on their faces ... they’ll be priceless.” Cirrus chuckled gleefully as she positioned the final nail -- with the banner right side out this time.    
  
“You’re assuming they’ll believe you.”    
  
The weight of his statement nearly knocked Cirrus off of her ladder.    
  
_ Fuck. _ He was right. Cumulus would probably believe her and start goading him so she could hear it herself, but there was no way in hell that Aether would. Dewdrop might, but she couldn’t count on it. Rain definitely wouldn’t.    
  
Oh shit.    
  
“Jesus fuckin’ --”   
  
“We’ve been over this.” Mountain laughed heartily. Cirrus couldn’t help but join him, though it quickly changed into an aggravated scream when she dropped the banner.   
  
“Fuck banners,” she muttered under her breath.    
  
“Agreed,” Mountain replied. 

Having to do this again wouldn’t be a bother. Well, not as much of one. After all, she’d have the delightful memory of Mountain swearing in front of her forever.    
  
Even  _ if  _ no one believed it. 


End file.
